TECHNICAL

STUDENTTOPIC

MINIMISING VOLTAGE DIFFERENCES

Short guide to working out cable sizes

In the first of two
articles, Bill Allan
looks at the
correct method in
cross-sectional
work, a job that
requires a head
for calculations
and a steady
hand

Ask any electrician about the required cross-sectional

areas of cables for standard circuits and the answer
you receive will probably be along the lines of: 1mm2
or 1.5 mm2 for lighting circuits and 2.5 mm2 for
socket-outlet circuits.
Indeed these are the commonly used rule of
thumb sizes.
However, those who undertake electrical
installation work need to understand the procedure
for selecting the correct cross-sectional area of a
cable for a particular use.
It is the intention of this article to explain simply
how to select the correct cross-sectional area of
cables with particular single-phase loads in mind.
Ill refer to the tables in Appendix 4 of BS 7671,
although these tables are reproduced in Appendix 6
of the IEE On Site Guide. Well assume that the
overcurrent protective device will be providing fault
current and overload current which is the normal
situation.

Calculating the right size

There are five steps to calculating the right size of
cable for a particular load. These are as follows:
1 Calculate the design current (Ib). This is the normal
current drawn by the load. It is usually determined
as follows:
Watts
Ib =
Volts
2 Select the type and current rating of the
overcurrent device (In).
3 Apply the relevant correction factors to obtain the
tabulated current (It).
Correction factors are applied to situations which
inhibit a cable from dissipating its heat caused by
the normal flow of current through it. Therefore,
the following correction factors, if applicable, are
applied:
Ambient temperature, Ca
This factor is obtained from Table 4C1 (or Table 4C2 if
a rewireable fuse to BS 3036 is used) in Appendix 4 of
BS 7671.

Fig 1

Grouping
Factor
(0.65)
Consumer
unit

Thermal
insulation

Ambient
temperature

Factor
(0.5)
for distances
over 0.5 metres

Factor
(0.94)

(0.725)
BS 3036 fuse

10 NAPIT 0870 444 1392 www.napit.org.uk

Load

Grouping, Cg
This factor is found by reference to Table 4B1 in
Appendix 4. Table 4B2 is used where mineral
insulated cables are installed on perforated cable tray.
Thermal insulation, Ci
Where a cable is in contact with thermal insulation on
one side only, the current-carrying capacity of the
cable should be calculated using Reference Method
4, which is described in Appendix 4 (Table 4A) of BS
7671.
Where a cable is totally surrounded by thermal
insulation for a distance greater than 0.5 metres, the
current-carrying capacity should be taken, in the
absence of further information, as 0.5 times the
current-carrying capacity for that cable when using
Installation Method 1 (open and clipped direct).
Where a cable is totally surrounded by thermal
insulation for a distance of 0.5 metres or less, Table
52A in BS 7671 gives derating factors which must be
applied.
Rewireable fuse (BS 3036) factor, Cr
Where a rewireable fuse to BS 3036 is used, a further
correction factor of 0.725 is applied, due to the poor
fusing factor of rewireable fuses.

How to apply correction factors

These correction factors are applied as divisors to the
nominal current rating of the overcurrent protective
device (In), to obtain the tabulated current, It. For
example, in the worst possible situation where all four
factors are applied, the formula would look like this:

It >

In

Ca x Cg x Ci x Cr

The more correction factors we apply, the larger the

value of It will be and hence the larger the size of
cable we will require. Consequently, it is
advantageous to avoid having to apply correction
factors where possible by, such measures as,
avoiding grouping of cables and avoiding contact
with thermal insulation.
However the formula given above is based on the
assumption that the conditions requiring the
application of correction factors apply simultaneously
to the same part of the cable along its route.
Where particular correction factors are appropriate
to different parts of the cable along its route, each part
can be treated separately. Alternatively, only the
correction factor (or combination of factors)
applicable to the worst situation along the cable route
can be applied to the whole route. (See Item 6.4 of
Appendix 4 in BS 7671)

For example, in Fig 1, a cable which is protected by a

BS 3036 rewireable fuse is first grouped together with
other cables, then it is totally surrounded by thermal
insulation for a distance of more than 0.5 metres. Then
finally it is run through an area with a high ambient
temperature. As the BS 3036 fuse affects the whole cable
run, Ct must be applied. However, there is no need to
apply the other three factors as the worst factor alone will
be sufficient. Lets take the grouping factor to be 0.65, the
thermal insulation factor to be 0.5 and the ambient
temperature factor as 0.94, as indicated in Fig 1. In this
case, only Cr = 0.725 and Ci = 0.5 need to be applied.
The factors for grouping and ambient temperature are
0.65 x 0.94 = 0.61. As the factor for thermal insulation is
lower (0.5), this is the only factor used for the conditions
along the cable run.

It >

In

Ci x Cr

4 The current-carrying capacity of the cable (which is

termed Iz) is then selected from the appropriate table
in Appendix 4 of BS 7671. Iz should be at least equal
to or slightly greater than the tabulated current, It.
5 Calculate the voltage drop to ensure that it is not
excessive. Regulation 525-01-02 states that the
voltage drop from the origin of the supply to the
furthest point in the installation must not exceed four
per cent of the supply voltage when the conductors
are carrying full load current. The tables in Appendix 4
have a voltage drop section in which the millivolt per
amp per metre (mv/a/m) of a particular cable may be
obtained. The voltage drop is calculated from:

Worked example
1 A 6kW load is to be supplied at 230 V by a PVC sheathed and
insulated twin and cpc copper cable, 8 metres in length. The cable is
clipped on the surface through an area with an ambient temperature
of 40C and is grouped with three other cables of similar size and
loading. The protection is by means of a BS 3036 fuse. Calculate the
minimum cable size required (it is assumed in this example that all the
correction factors need to be applied).

Answer
Design current,

Ib

As four per cent of the nominal 230 volts single-phase

supply voltage is 9.2 volts, this figure must not be
exceeded for single-phase supplies.

Tabulated current, It

>

From Table 4C2,

In

correction factors
Ca = 0.94

From Table 4B1, (4 circuits, Method 1)

Cg = 0.65
Correction factor for BS 3036 fuse = 0.725

It

>

In

Ca x Cg x Cr

>

In

0.94 x 0.65 x 0.725

>

67.7 amps

From Table 4D5A (Reference Method 1, column 4), select 16 mm2 cable
which takes 85 amps.
Check volts drop from Table 4D2B (column 3).

volts drop

mV/Am x Ib x L

1000

2.8 x 26 x 8

1000

0.58 volts (satisfactory)

Conclusion
If you need some practice in calculating the right size
for cables, you might try the examples in the Student
Activities section. In the next issue, well consider this
topic some more. Further information can be obtained
from Appendix 4 of BS 7671, and IEE Guidance Note 6,
Protection Against Overcurrent. For a more simplified
approach, Appendix 6 of the IEE On Site Guide should
be consulted.

W
6000
= = 26 amps
V
230

Size of BS 3036 fuse required = 30 amps (In )

Volts drop =
mv/a/m x design current, Ib x length of run in metres, L

1000

See overleaf for

Student Activities

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